28 Easy Ways to Make Your Children Feel Special
Kids Don't Come With Handbooks
Before children are born it seems that the big question mommies-to-be are always asked is, "are you ready?" How can you possibly prepare yourself aside from having diapers and wipes? Everything else is a learn-as-you-go process. From the very first moment you lay eyes on your beautiful angel, you realize that you will scale any mountain or lasso the moon just for this little soul that you are holding.
As that little amazing life evolves and becomes a toddler and a child it's important for them to know how much you love them; how safe and loved they are. There are numerous ways you can help your children understand how special they are. The relationship that children have with parents will determine how they relate to every other person for the rest of their lives. It's a fact: greater than 95% of all socialization comes from parents. When you hear people say that kids are like sponges, it's absolutely true. Kids look to parents for:
- How to act or re-act
- Who they want to emulate
- What to do in situations
- What types of choices to make (life,friends,spouses)
- Ethics
- Responsibility
- Role models
- The type of job they may eventually get
If you want your child to be strong (mentally, physically, emotionally) then you provide them with exercises and tools to be strong. If you are passive and do nothing, your child will follow suit.
Active Listenting Skills
One of the easiest ways you can communicate effectively with your child and let them know how much you care about them is to actively listen to them. This involves some very easy behaviors.
- Notice them with a verbal greeting using their name.
- Make eye contact with them and smile at them.
- Ask them about their day, every single day, and make sure that you recall what is going on in their lives. If they're having trouble with a particular situation, you may want to find out how things are going. If they're doing something fantastic and special, ask about that.
- If they are telling a story or talking about an event, listen to them and don't let anything interrupt. This is especially true if they are upset.
- Notice when they seem to be having a bad day and quietly, away from others, ask them if they are okay.
- Ask for their opinion about things that are appropriate.
- Get to know their friends.
50 Ways To Verbally Praise
- Wow
- Awesome
- Cool
- Super
- Great
- Way to go
- You're special
- Outstanding
- Excellent
- Neat
- Well done
- Beautiful
- Phenomenal
- Hotdog
- Dynamite
- Spectacular
- You did it
- Looking good
- I knew you could
- Now you've got it
- Bravo
- You're a superstar
- Hurray for you
- You're smart
- Fantastic
- Halleluiah
- Bingo
- Magnificent
- Marvelous
- Sensational
- That's terrific
- Thumbs up
- I love what you did
- You did great
- Thank you for doing that
- Perfect
- Right on
- Super duper
- Very creative
- Wonderful
- I love it
- That's the best you've done
- That's A+ work
- Outstanding performance
- You are important
- This is great
- Good job listening
- Thank you for being here
- Hotdog and Halleluiah
- You are special
- You made my day
Play, Delight and Laugh all Night
Just because you're an adult doesn't mean you should stop having fun, being silly and laughing like you did when you were a kiddo. Some of the best memories you will ever give your child will be as simple as quality time.
- Play outside together whether it's playing catch, having a water-fight, looking at the stars, washing the car together, planting a garden or some flowers, having a lemonade stand, riding bicycles, walking the dog, walking the llama (ha ha ha), catching fireflies, raking leaves, having hot cocoa, making a snowman or just sitting on the porch enjoying the breeze.
- Build a fort with every available blanket and let the kids sleep in it. They'll love it!
- Have a talent show and video tape it.
- Sing songs with your kiddos every time you are in the car.
- Take time with your kids when they are learning to read. Pick out books together - such as a series of books, and read every night.
- Teach them how to make their favorite meal.
- Make kiddo coupons for them when they have done something exceptional. Place them somewhere they will find when they wake up. (kiddo coupons are things such as: this coupon entitles bearer to 1 trip to the ice cream parlor for a double scoop of your favorite ice cream)
Be Their Biggest Fan!
If you believe in your kids, champion your kids and let them know they can climb any mountain, they will know that you support them, that you think they can accomplish things and they will scale Mount Everest! Kids are amazing and once they spread their wings, they fly like eagles! Some great ways to promote your child's confidence are:
- Discuss their biggest dreams in life, what they want to be and how they want to achieve those dreams.
- Make a collage of cutout words and pictures that details the things about their life that they love and cherish the most.
- Start a tradition with your child and see that you follow through with it.
- Catch them doing something right and praise them, hug them and remind them that they are loved.
- Allow your kiddo to solve problems and use each situation to either praise and love or teach and love.
- Help your child to become an expert at something and be excited for them when you see small victories.
- Inspire your kiddo's creativity and understand that it's okay to have a difference of opinion about certain things.
PRAISE PHRASE
What is your favorite praise phrase?
Things Kiddos Need
- Encourage your kids to help others in community service. Teach them the importance of volunteering and sharing.
- Help your kiddos look at situations with a cause-and-effect understanding. Explain the importance of thinking things through from start to finish.
- Don't expect your kids to tackle big problems alone. Guide them and teach them.
- Teach your child how to take a stand and stand up with them. Refrain from using issues of ethics that kids don't have the capacity to understand because the purpose is to teach them how to think for themselves.
- Expect a lot from your children and teach them excellence. When they seem stressed out, teach them how to "shake it off."
- Introduce your kids to as many new experiences as life has to offer.
- Be consistent, be open, be honest - always.